Satellite image courtesy of Airbus Defense and Space and 38 North obtained July 23 shows the apparent dismantling of facilities at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station, North Korea. North Korea appears to have started dismantling key facilities at a rocket-engine test center, a group of experts said, potentially marking a significant step after last month's summit between Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump. AFP

By Kim Bo-eun

North Korea has begun to dismantle key facilities at its Sohae Satellite Launching Station, its first tangible step toward denuclearization since leader Kim Jong-un made that pledge at his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, June 12.

Trump said after the summit that North Korea would shut down the site, also known as the Tongchang-ri missile test site.

The move is expected to serve as an impetus in North Korea's denuclearization talks with the U.S. that appeared to have been stalled in the past weeks.

According to U.S. monitoring group 38 North, Monday (local time), satellite images showed Pyongyang was dismantling its rail-mounted processing building and rocket engine test stand at the site. July 20 images showed the roof and support structure of the rail-mounted processing building partially removed, as well as a construction crane and vehicles there. July 22 images showed further progress in dismantlement.

Joseph Bermudez of 38 North stated the facilities are believed to have played an important role in the development of Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile technologies, and "these efforts represent a significant confidence-building measure on the part of North Korea."

Cheong Wa Dae also positively evaluated the situation.

"We see it as a good sign and as part of the step-by-step process toward denuclearization," Nam Gwan-pyo, deputy director of the National Security Office, told reporters.

"There is a need to look into the intentions of North Korea over whether it is attempting to pace the process of dismantlement."

The dismantlement may lead to a breakthrough in the talks, analysts said.

"We may see progress in North Korea's denuclearization. Pyongyang is likely to call for the Korean War to be ended, as a measure of reciprocation," said Cheong Seong-chang, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute.

North Korea has been calling for the U.S. to engage in making a declaration to end the 1950-53 Korean War that ended in an armistice, as a means to protect its regime through the removal of threats and hostilities.

The U.S. stance has been that North Korea would have to take denuclearization measures first. Pyongyang expressed frustration at high-level talks with Washington held earlier this month, stating the U.S. made "unilateral, gangster-like" demands.

Speculation has been growing that a declaration ending the Korean War could be made in September when the U.N. General Assembly takes place.

Attention is also being paid as to whether the foreign ministers of South and North Korea and the U.S. will meet at the ASEAN Regional Forum to take place next week in Singapore.

"Relevant departments (in the ministry) are seeking for such meetings to take place," foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said.

North Korea and the U.S. have yet to produce a timeline for the denuclearization process, a list of North Korea's nuclear facilities and how their shutdown will be verified.